The majority were food writers, academics in food studies, publishers and journalists; there were few chefs.

By 1996 it had become the nutrition and food studies program, offering, for the first time, a doctorate in food studies.

"The whole concept of food studies is emerging," Ms. Mandel said.

Increasingly, prestigious schools are letting students pursue food studies in disciplines like history, psychology, religion, anthropology and archaeology.

Boston University, which has offered a bachelor's degree in food studies since 1991, is developing a doctorate in food history.

Bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degrees will be offered in food studies.

Most food studies show that ethnic groups living outside their own countries rarely buy foods other than those of their native land and of their host country.

Pursuers of food studies approach these questions by first understanding the scientific, economic, and philosophical issues surrounding them.

Robert Appelbaum (born 2 February 1952) is an award-winning literary critic specializing in early modern writing, food studies, and terrorism studies.

In one food study, for example, the company's cameras captured the spontaneous reaction of a woman who "disgustedly picked off the pasta sticking to her serving fork."